PAUL LIVES!

Paul McCartney - "Amoeba's Secret - Live, June 27, 2007" EP (Hear Music)

Still alive and well, leave it to Sir Paul McCartney to come up with a fresh idea! This four-song vinyl (I don't know if it came out on CD) EP is culled from a show he and his band did on June 27 of this year. Now, there's no credit for the band, where it was recorded, or any liner notes, and the photo of Paul playing the bass on the front cover is blurred (I had to ask the sales person where the album was - right in front of my face!), and the back of the sleeve is done in search-a-word form. The song titles and McCartney's name are all mixed in and circled - very cool. The whole concept has the vibe of a bootleg, only done properly (the recording is excellent quality).

The four songs are a crisscross of McCartney's career. Opening with an energized "Only Mama Knows" from his excellent new album, Memory Almost Full, the band rocks out with a vengeance, like youngsters with something to prove. From there they dust off a Wings tune, "C-Moon," that is a piano-driven reggae-rocker that Paul and the band reinvigorate. It features a likable melody and harmonies, adding a sparse use of piano, bass, drums, and keyboard.

Expanding their horizons, the band tears into "That Was Me," with references to Paul's life and career ("That was me/ sweatin' cobwebs/ Under contract/ in the Cellar/ That was me"). Paul does a nice vocal scat, that turns into an emotional shout, underlined by a propulsive bass line.'

The icing on the cake is Paul's new take on the Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There." It sounds fresh, exciting, and absolutely - ROCKS! Paul's energetic vocals and the band (I'd love to know who these guys are) transcends time and space, taking you back (or maybe it's your first time) to what the song meant originally. It's a sheer blast of fundamental ROCK 'N' ROLL, especially with Paul's count-off of "1-2-3-4!"

They went to some lengths to make this album seem like a "secret release," and it works!

McCartney recently ended his tenure with Capitol Records, and went with the newly created Starbucks' label (Joni Mitchell recently signed on, and released a new album after a long recording hiatus). I know that you're probably thinking Starbucks is a mega-corporation with no soul, like I do; but maybe their musical arm is doing something right. I still wouldn't buy their coffee, but it looks like they're on the right track as far as music goes, and you can pick up the albums in any record store, not just Starbucks (unlike the Eagles new release.)

Bottom line: "Amoeba's Secret" has some special karma going for it, and the music sounds great. McCartney and the band are invigorating, leaving you wanting more!

- Phil Rainone